Three years have gone past since the earthquake that devastated central Italy. Our country has been mourning and for many the wound is still open. A moment of hope last weekend with the opening of the primary school ‘Parrozzani’ in Isola del Gran Sasso, the first big earthquake-proof structure built by the Italian Red Cross thanks to private donations received following the 2016 earthquake and to the support of the Monegasque Red Cross. It is an earthquake-proof building aiming at guaranteeing the safety of students and school employees: over 1000 sq m accommodating multi-media laboratories and a gym, 10 classrooms for 200 young students who will be able to go back to studying in a comfortable and suitable environment. A gust of fresh air saving students and teachers, who, given the serious damages schools suffered, have been enduring long commutes to the few still standing to carry out their normal didactic activities. A problem solved by the Italian Red Cross in response to a direct request of the Ministry of Education and the City “This opening – we read in a note on the CRI website – has a special meaning: it represents at best our objective to ‘not leave anybody behind’, to repopulate the territory so that the local communities are not forced to abandon it”.
From the left: Paolo Naldini (director of Cittadellarte), Giovanna Falconi (head teacher of the primary school ‘Parrozzani’), Barbara Contini (undersecretary CRI), Her Highness Charlène of Monaco, Roberto di Marco (mayor of Isola del Gran Sasso d’Italia).
A rebirth formally marked by a flash mob held in the afternoon of 8th November in the square in front of the school, which saw the participation of students and their families, who performed a special candlelight procession tracing Michelangelo Pistoletto’s sign-symbol as a ‘human’ rendition. The Biellese artist had already elaborated a version of the Third Paradise inspired to the seven fundamental principles of the organization (please see all the details in a previous article).
A Isola del Gran Sasso d’Italia, Comune colpito dal sisma nel 2016, domani verrà inaugurata la nuova scuola realizzata dalla #CroceRossa con il contributo di diversi donatori. Per festeggiare, bambini, insegnanti e Volontari CRI hanno illuminato il piazzale realizzando il "Terzo Paradiso" di Pistoletto. Scopri di più ? http://bit.ly/33uYhs7#UnItaliaCheAiuta #Ricostruzione
Pubblicato da Croce Rossa Italiana – Italian Red Cross su Venerdì 8 novembre 2019
The video of the candlelight procession (credits: Italian Red Cross’s Facebook page)
The performative moment was followed by the celebratory one: as mentioned, on Saturday the new school complex was officially opened* (the donors who have made its building possible are the Monegasque Red Cross, Allianz, Smurfit Kappa, CRI Ferrara, the school G. Borsieri in Trento, Otis, Gruppo Spaggiari) with the extraordinary attendance of Her Highness Charlène of Monaco**, who cut the ribbon and signed the mural of the Third Paradise on the wall of the school entrance. After her, so did the students; pending is still the signature of Pistoletto, who couldn’t participate for health reasons. The result is a collective work made of names and colours welcoming students to their new school, which will be active in the next few days. The work seals the collaboration between the Red Cross and Cittadellarte, two organizations more and more united in pursuing a common objective: the art of care. Present at the event were Paolo Naldini, director of Cittadellarte, Saverio Teruzzi, coordinator of the Rebirth/Third Paradise ambassadors, and Chiara Belliti, ambassadress, who planted the seeds for the collaboration between CRI and Fondazione Pistoletto.
From the left: Chiara Belliti, Saverio Teruzzi, Pierumberto Ferrero (in charge of the volunteering section of the CRI National Committee) and Paolo Naldini.
Her Highness Charlène of Monaco at the moment of signing.
Here are Paolo Naldini’s opening and main speeches on the occasion of the opening of the primary school ‘Parrozzani’.
